An Open Letter to Occupy Seattle

I have some unsolicited advice for you. Stop fighting with city hall about camping issues. You may recall that I initially wrote an open letter to Mayor McGinn supporting your need to have a 24-hour presence at Westlake Center park. I still feel strongly that you have a right to exercise your first amendment rights 24-7. The U.S. Constitution does not have a qualifier that says speech is only free between the hours of 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Nor is your right to assemble is also not restricted by the time of day by the constitution.

However, you are losing the message during this prolonged and unnecessary debate with the city. Rather than focusing on the issues that inspired this movement, like joblessness, no accountability for those who harmed our economy, mounting student debt, and more, the local media has instead focused nearly entirely on your debate with city hall. What a shame.

Now I realize that Occupy Seattle and the Occupy Wall Street movement is not represented by one group, or a leadership team. This is abundantly clear by the inconsistent votes various groups of people have taken in the name of Occupy Seattle during the last several days. Even more apparent is the growing number of people who support the need for a public conversation about corporate greed at the expense of the 99%, while shying away from participation in your back and forth games with city hall. The demographic of those I have seen involved at the beginning of your occupation has changed from a diverse group of people including single moms and teachers, to a hand full of younger people hell bent on confrontation with the police.

Do yourself and the 99% a favor. Refocus your efforts on creating a clear and coherent movement with the goals of creating meaningful change for the 99% — not for the handful of people who think camping at Westlake is more important than camping at City Hall.

Think about the symbolism of your civil disobedience. Does the occupation of a park mean more than a demonstration outside a giant bank? Does a tent at Westlake mean more to you than holding those responsible for this mess accountable?

The problem with Seattle’s protesters is that they get caught up in fighting what is. What they need to do right now is give an example of what can be.

Take the mayor up on his offer of night camping at City Hall. And then turn that camp into something great. Host nightly lectures by UW professors and visiting authors. Show movies. Host rock shows. Make The People’s Library into something worth our attention, rather than a couple of cardboard boxes in the middle of a much-contested thoroughfare. Rather than trying to fuck shit up and piss off the police, build the kind of utopian society you want, in miniature. Make the daily march to and from the City Hall camp back to Westlake into something fun—a parade, with music and dancing and signs. Make your camp a destination that people want to visit. Making this whole thing a battle over a public space that nobody likes is embarrassing and it flies in the face of what the Occupy Wall Street protesters have created.

This movement has the potential to change history. Seattle could play an important role in that change, but only if these petty games with the city end now.